Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens said he had been tempted to return to the Canberra Raiders for the next NRL season, before deciding to focus his efforts on winning back the rugby league World Cup with Australia.

Sheens, who coached the Raiders to their only three premiership titles, was back in Canberra on Wednesday to launch ticket sales for the first rugby league Test to be held in the national capital in April.

But the 62-year-old admitted a stay in Canberra could have been more permanent. Dumped by the Wests Tigers at the end of last season, Sheens was sounded out twice by Canberra coach David Furner about reuniting with the Raiders in a senior coaching role.

Furner played most of his career under Sheens at the Raiders and the pair work together with the Australian Test team.

Furner first approached Sheens informally during October's Test in Townsville, before approaching him again following the late and unexpected exit of assistant coach Andrew McFadden to the New Zealand Warriors. But Sheens said he wanted to maintain a neutrality with all NRL clubs next season, dedicating himself to Australia's World Cup campaign.

''I would have loved to have come back [to Canberra] and worked here at some stage but it was probably best it worked out this way,'' Sheens said. ''I'll play a neutral situation. I'm friends with David [Furner] as I am with a lot of the coaches.

''I'm the Australian coach and I play a straight bat in that area as far as clubs are concerned and states are concerned. I think you've got to do that.

''Being in that neutral position I'm in now I can check up on how people are going, I can do a lot of video footage and analysis of the Australian boys for not only the Test match in April but the World Cup obviously.''

Although Sheens had hoped for the Australian coaching role to be made full-time, the veteran mentor said he would be able to dedicate more resources to the job next year because he was not attached to an NRL club.

Sheens said he planned to be at more NRL games next season and would seek more regular interaction with national selectors, putting pressure on Australia's contenders to put their hands up for spots in the World Cup squad.

Sheens said the Anzac Test bet- ween Australia and New Zealand at Canberra Stadium on April 19 would be the best chance for players to stake their World Cup claims.

''Every player who wants to be part of the World Cup squad will be aiming to play in this Test and perform well, and that should make for a great contest,'' Sheens said.

''There's no doubt a good performance always sticks in the mind, not only of myself as coach, but also the selectors.

''We need to win the game and we need to play well. And I think that's the first step towards World Cup selection.

''At the moment I'm in a position to do a lot more given I've not got the distraction of a club commitment.

''I'm in a full-time situation without being in a full-time job, to be able to spend a lot of time on that, so I hope that's a benefit.''